Multiplication and Division Facts Boot Camp Freebie

Hello darlings!  Hard to believe there are only two months left of school!  I am trying to think ahead and provide you with some innovative and rigorous resources for your youngins'.  For the past three years, I have held a Multiplication and Division Boot Camp in my classroom toward the end of the year.  State testing would be over, thus all of our math objectives would have been taught.  For my thirdsters going into fourth grade, it is imperative that they have their facts memorized.  Of course we work on this all year long, but Boot Camp is a great way to reward the kiddos that have retained their learning and help your strugglers at the same time!  

So how does this work?  

In a nutshell:  I give soldiers a pretest to see which facts they already have mastered.  Soldiers have daily drills (timed tests) and daily P.T. (homework with flashcards). They keep track of their progress with a graph.  I am the Drill Sergeant, so I wear an army hat and get into character.  They love this!

Boot Camp can be used in conjunction with your existing math curriculum or it can be a short stand alone unit.  

1.  PRETESTING: At the beginning of Boot Camp soldiers take a PRETEST.  This will determine which DRILLS (facts) they still need to memorize.   I find that some of my students immediately pass all multiplication facts and so, they take the division PRETEST.  I also have some kiddos who pass their 2's, 3's, 5's, 9, and 10's but they failed their 4's, 6's, 8's, 12's for example.  This determines the FLASH CARDS that they will have to make and the DRILLS that they will have to practice and repeat.

2. FLASH CARDS and DAILY DRILLS:  If you notice in the chart below, this soldier passed her 1,3,10's on her PRETEST, so she marked it PT and colored in the box.  For each of the other DRILLS (facts) she had to create FLASH CARDS and study at home.  
The next day she would come in and take one DRILL test.  Notice she wrote the date that she took the test in the box above the correct DRILL.  If she got 100% on the test, she colored the box in.  If she missed one or more, she had to study those facts again and retake the test the next day.  I used one of my low kiddos to give you a real world example.  You can tell, she kept getting stuck on her 4's so I had her move on and come back to them later.  She was getting very frustrated with herself. 

All students start out as a PRIVATE.  So my little John Smith would be referred to as Private Smith during math.  Students who pass all of the Multiplication Drills are promoted to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. Students who complete Multiplication AND Division Boot Camp become SERGEANTS.  I also give these kiddos an army camo pencil that I purchased from Party City.  SERGEANTS are simply allowed to play the games when the others are taking the tests.  They also help with monitoring and are giving challenge work when needed.  

3. DRILL ORGANIZATION:  The pic below shows how I store the drills.  I purchased little camo buckets at Party City to add some character, but you could use any storage method.  To keep myself sane for the next year, I laminated the original DRILL (test) on one side of a green piece of construction paper and the answer key on the other side.  I make 3-5 of these for each bucket.  

When it is time for the DAILY DRILL, I call students up by COMPANIES (table groups, ex. Alpha Company, Bravo Company) and they grab the test that they need.  (I have included table signs for your Companies.)  They take the test back to their seats and turn it over face down so they can't see it.  When we finish, I have my kiddos check their own work.  (WHAT?  Don't they cheat???)   They complete their timed DRILL in pencil as an entire class, then they come up to the buckets and check with an answer key with a green pen that are stored in the buckets.  We have a huge discussion on honesty and how cheating only hurts your own brain.  I have only had one incident that was quickly corrected.  I also have my students who have been promoted to SERGEANT, monitor the checkers.  

4. GAMES and ACTIVITIES:  After we complete a DRILL for the day, students pair up with a new solider and complete one of the eight games/activities.  These games are very hands on and require students to manipulate items or complete exercises.   They LOVE these games!!!  Before I allow them to choose a game or assign them a task, I go over each activity with them as a class.  

**Operation Cobra Monkey: Complete Word Problems to rescue your team.  If an Enemy signed card is drawn, you must run in place for 10 seconds.

**Get in Formation: Be the first player to use the paper soldiers to create arrays

**Army Strong: Get more soldiers for your army by finding the missing whole numbers, ex. 5 x n =35

**Battle Buddies: Whole group game, soldiers walk around with a number taped to their back and when signaled, they grab a Battle Buddy and multiply their numbers together

**Battle Row: Be the first soldier to secure four combat vehicles in a row on a multiplication board(horizontally, vertically, or diagonally)

**Fitness Facts: Use a spinner to multiply, if you are incorrect, you must complete various exercises

**Build a Soldier: Complete multiplication problems and use that info to create a soldier following specific glyph instructions

**Create a Cadence: Create a fact song or rhyme to march to

This mission requires a lot of strategy.  Can you tell he is thinking hard?

5. Diplomas and Awards:  Once students complete Boot Camp, they receive a Diploma from me, their DRILL SERGEANT.  These diplomas are editable in Powerpoint.  I also award my SERGEANTS with a fun camo pencil that I purchased at Party City.  The point is, you want to make Boot Camp a big deal and you want your students to pass their facts QUICKLY!

Download this game for free!  IF you like it, try out the rest of the unit in my TPT store by clicking here.

This is one of my top sellers on TPT!  Click here to get your hands on it! I really hope you enjoy it!

Keep Your Students Learning this Summer

Hello darlings!  I apologize to all my wonderful followers for being missing for a while.  I had quite a challenging class this year and I needed a little break. =)  Boy did I get it!  I just came back from a two week tour of Europe!  I can't even describe to you how amazing it was!  I really want to go back!  I went with a tour group for 18-35 year olds called Contiki.  We were in a new country basically everyday!  We started in London then went to Amsterdam, St. Goar (Germany), Munich,  Austria, Venice, Rome, Florence, Switzerland, and then Paris.  I got to take a bike ride through Munich, go white water rafting in Austria, climb a Mountain in Switzerland, ride a gondola in Venice, sight-see off the top of the Eiffel Tower and so much more.  I met AMAZING people on my trip whom I know will be life long friends.  I will most definitely be doing another tour next summer!

So... what can I share with you for your classroom?  Well, it is a little late for this year, but maybe you can use it for your kiddos next year.  I am always so worried about my kiddos losing their learning over the summer.  Research shows that students can regress as much as two reading levels if they do not read over the summer.  Yikes!   I am sure that like me, you bust your bottom to get those reading levels up during the year.  I decided to make a fun activity suitcase that my kiddos can take with them where ever they go this summer.    Check it out here.

Included:
Detailed directions with pictures
Reading Journal with suggested activities and sentence starters
Writing Journal with optional prompts
Camp Workout Game: incorporation multiplication and physical activity
Hike the Hills Game: multiplication strategy game "spotting animals"
Spinner Game: includes 3 different multiplication/division game options

I did this on the last day of school with my kiddos.  The key to these activities is that students take ownership in creating the journals and games themselves.  Students simply color each page, cut out, and staple the journals together.  They also put together the spinner and the other games.  Once completed, they put each game or journal in its own sandwich bag and then place everything inside the suitcase.  We play the games in partners and start off one of the journal entries for reading and writing.   I offer a prize or treat to the students who bring back their suitcase the next year with completed journals.  They also get to sign my stellar student wall.

I hope you check this out and find it useful.  I would love to give two lucky winners this resource for free.  Just tell me your favorite vacation spot and leave your email.  You may find this in your in box tomorrow!

Blessings!

Math Facts...A Teacher's Continuous Frustration

Hello lovely people! You are almost there. Only today and tomorrow and then it's the weekend. We can do it!!

So I don't know about you but the biggest frustration that my team and I have found is kiddos knowing their math facts. Our 3rd graders come in (most of the time) not knowing their addition and subtraction facts, which leads into frustrations when we begin 2 and 3 digit by 1 digit multiplication and long division.

Every year, since my 2nd year of teaching, I have required my kiddos to complete at least 5 minutes of math fact practice a night. We started out by focusing on addition and subtraction at the beginning of the year and now moving into multiplication and division.

Xtramath.org has been the easiest way for me to keep track my kiddos' progress within their math facts, plus it's FREE. You can keep your class open until August (whenever the next school year begins) so your kiddos can practice their facts over the summer as well. You can also set up your student computers so your kiddos can just click on their name, put in their pin, and practice on student computers as well.

There are various reasons why this tool is amazing to me. However, one of the biggest reasons why I love using Xtramath is due to being able to see if your kiddos have practiced their facts.

This is part of my current class.

 

 



As you can see above, it shows different colored dots (these all mean different things) for each day my kiddos have logged on. I check this every morning to make sure that my kiddos have signed on and practiced their facts.

 Another benefit is you can also view which facts your kiddos are struggling with. All you have to do is click on one of the student's name (whoever you want to investigate) and a calendar will show up. You can pick whatever day you want to view (I always choose the most current day). This screen will pop up.

One of my student's progress on her multiplication facts.

I like to use this to have my kiddos create their own flash cards out of these problems. The red X's are the ones that this student struggled to answer within 3 seconds. The check marks represent the problems that she knows and could answer within 3 seconds.

It allows your to differentiate your kiddos so they can practice whatever math facts are suitable to them.

The different programs that you can place your students in.

At the beginning of the year, I always start my kiddos out with addition and subtraction. If they pass through those, then I move them to multiplication and division. I have had one kiddo pass all 4 levels this year, so I had him complete the Advanced 2 Second for all four operations. This is where he gets 2 seconds to solve the problem. He also graduated from that so he doesn't have to practice his facts nightly anymore. This really pushed some of my kiddos to practice their facts so they get the same privileges.

As your kiddos complete a program, Xtramath will generate a certificate to give to your students. You can print these out and present them to the students.

I love to make this into an awards ceremony. It makes the kiddos feel good and gain confidence.

Some of you may be wondering, "What do you do with your kiddos who do not have internet access at home?" Well at the beginning of the year, I had my kiddos do flashcards. However, as the year went on, I had some of those kiddos who I noticed weren't making gains. Therefore, I started making them fill out a math facts sheet. Some of the kiddos who complete Xtramath nightly and weren't making progress started completing these as well. I copy these front to back (1 sided to 2 sided) and make sure that the front is different from the back. They are to complete one half of the page a night. I just put a check mark at the top of the completed section. To keep my kiddos from just copying down the same answers from one sheet to the next, I keep the sheets that were completely filled out. This seems to be the easiest for me to manage with my kiddos who do not do Xtramath. (Click here to check out Math Facts Café where you can create your own math facts sheet.)

Besides Xtramath, I also used my groups and RTI time to give my kiddos the chance to practice their math facts. Throughout the year, I have my kiddos complete timed tests. I started out my year by using my Addition and Subtraction Racing School pack so I could focus on addition and subtraction. Click here to read more about my pack.

My kiddos created their cars and moved them among the lap cards that I created to place on the wall to show which fact they were working on. As soon as they passed both addition and subtraction, they got to move to the finish line. I started them out by completing a pretest (which is within the pack) to determine the facts that they needed to work on. Then I gave them flashcards for them to practice with at home. The kiddos who completed both addition and subtraction got to have free time while the rest of my kiddos were completing their timed tests.

Now that we are towards the end of our year, I now have started implementing Amy's Multiplication and Division Boot Camp so I could focus on multiplication and division. This works just like my addition and subtraction pack (Amy had the idea first). Click here to see what her Boot Camp entails.

 

I had my kiddos play the "Build Your Own Soldier" game two weeks ago when we did our stations. I laminated them so they wouldn't fall apart. To show them off, I placed the soldiers under the Smartboard in my room. Then I used a paper clip to put their dog tags of the drills that they completed on their hand. I thought they turned out really cute.

 



A close up of what the dog tags look like

After they pass a drill, they get to put their dog tag on their soldier





Soldiers lined up



A close up of one of my kiddo's soldier

Timed tests can be very hard to manage at times. They have to be checked daily. To cut down on the amount of stuff for me to check (check out my Checking Homework...A Time Saver post for more information on how to cut down on the amount of checking your kiddos' work), I have my kiddos check their own timed test.

 

This is the picture I was referring to from yesterday's post...Wordless Wednesday: Math Facts

 

As you can see, the timed tests and answer keys are in the cups, along with some pens. I call the kiddos up to check the drill number that they are on at the time. They get the answer key out and check the answers. They circle whatever answers are not correct or put a star at the top if they are all correct, put the cup back, and head back to their desk. Then they fill out their drill sheet. They love this as it gives them the immediate feedback so they know which drill to practice next.

 

In addition to timed tests, I have my kiddos complete math facts practice when they are playing a game with their math group and when they are at a math fact station for RTI. These come from the Addition and Subtraction Racing School, Multiplication and Division Boot Camp, simple deck of cards games, and websites.

 

As you may already know, I love to implement technology in my classroom anytime I get the chance. I try to place shortcuts to websites on my student computer so my kiddos always have resources that focus on the concept at hand. Here are some other great websites that I have used to help implement math facts:

 

• Fact Monsters: Your kiddos can choose between the operation that they need more practice on and choose a level to practice those facts on. Tracks how many they have correct and contains milestones that they can reach.
• Math Facts Pro: Your kiddos can choose between the operation that needs to be focused on. Your kiddos can then decide which grade level needs to be done (this will allow for differentiated instruction). The kiddos have the opportunity to click on the answer and it tracks the amount of time for each problem that is completed. Once the round is complete, your child can print out his/her progress. You can pay for an upgrade to get more options.
• ABCya Math Fact Shoot-Out: This is a game where your kiddos get to practice math facts while playing basketball. Again, this is differentiated where your kiddos can determine the level and operation that can be practiced. It also tells you a report of the percentage that was done correctly.
• Sheppard Software: This website has a ton of games and resources for basic operations.

 

How do you implement math facts into your every day routines? I would love any feedback you may have.

 

Hope the rest of your week goes well!

 

 

 

 

Multiplication Boot Camp

Hello darlings!  There are only five days of school left!  Ahhh!  While I am usually ecstatic and jumping for joy, this year I am sad.  I think it has to do with losing my mom 2 months ago and the fact that these kids show me unconditional love everyday!  I will miss all of their sweetness and whining!    I just hope I can keep myself busy this summer and fill my mind with other things. 

On a happier note, I finally finished Multiplication and Division Boot Camp!!  OMG!  This went so much better than I ever imagined! The kiddos LOVED it!  One of my kiddos soldiers even told me today that she was so excited that she made Sergeant that she was all tingly inside!  

So how does it work?  I give soldiers a pretest to see which facts they already have mastered.  Soldiers have daily drills (timed tests) and daily P.T. (homework with flashcards). They keep track of their progress with a graph.  I am the Drill Sergeant, so I wear an army hat and get into character.  They love this!

Next, soldiers have to complete missions (games and activities).  You should see them!  Some of the games require them to do push ups and jumping jacks!  It is so funny, but they work really hard!

This mission requires a lot of strategy.  Can you tell he is thinking hard?

Download this game for free!  IF you like it, try out the rest of the unit in my TPT store by clicking here.

I had to share this cute little saying!

We went on our field trip to the St. Louis Arch and Old Courthouse on Monday.  We perform the Bubble Gum Trial at the courthouse every year as we study Government. I'll post pics soon.

Have a great day!

Amy